Gold-separator.



PATENTED JULY 21, 1903.

D. 0. KNOWLTO N;

GO'LD SEPARATOR. APPLICATION IIIQED'JULY 10 1902.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1- NO MODEL we Noims PETERS co. mom'uma. WASHINGTON, u, g

PA'IKENTED JULY 21, 1903.

D. G. KNOWLTON. GOLD SEPARATOR.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 10, 1902.

2 SHEETS-SHEET v2.

H0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES PATENT Patented July 21, 1903.

OEEicE,

GOLD-SEPARA'TOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 733,973, dated July 21, 1903. Application filed July 10, 1902. Eerial No. 115,076. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL O. KNowLToN, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gold-Separators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to gold-separators,

and its primary object is to provide a simple, inexpensive, and effective apparatus for separating particles of gold from the sand and gravel with which they are commingled.

A further object of the invention is to dispense with the sluiceways commonly used in placer-mining separators. 1 V

The improved apparatus comprises a revoluble tank, stirrers or agitating-blades ar: ranged therein, and means for revolving said tank and stirrers in opposite directions.

The invention consists, further, 0f novel means for screening the gravel supplied to the tank, for adjusting the position of the stirrers or agitating-blades with relation -to their supporting-shaft, and for saving and utilizing the overflow of water from the tank.

The construction of the improved apparatus will be fully described hereinafter in connection with the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and its novel features will be defined and set forth in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in vertical section, of a separator embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same, partly broken away; and Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the machine.

Corresponding parts in all the figures are denoted by the same reference characters.

The machine-frame comprises a base 1; a

standard 2, rising therefrom; parallel horizon-v tal supports 3 and 4, and a forwardly-projecting arm 5. The base 1 and lower horizontal support 3 are connected by-a Web 6, formed with a horizontal bearing 7, alining with a bearing 8, formed in the standard 2.

9 designates a shaft supported Within the bearings 7 and 8 and serving as the drivingshaftof the machine. Upon the rear end of the shaft 9 are mounted a fixed pulley 10 and a loose pulley 11, and at the forward end of the shaft is fixed a bevel gear-pinion 12.

Upon the shaft 9, between the standard 2 and web 6, is fixed a pulley 13, adapted to be connected by a belt 14 with a pulley 15,1nountof a vertical shaft 25, which latter extends through a bearing 26, provided at the front end of the lower frame-support 3, and is supported at its lower end in a step-bearing 27, revolubly mounted upon a boss 28, projecting from the base 1. Ball-bearings 29 are intel-posed between the step-bearing 27 and the boss 28, as shown in Fig. 1.

30 designates a circular tank of concaveconvex form, formed with a central opening through which the. shaft 25 extends. The tank 30 is fixed to the shaft 25 to revolve therewith, the revolution of said shaft being effected by a bevel gear-wheel 31, mounted thereon and meshing with the bevel-pinion 12 of the driving-shaft.

The edge 32of the tank 30 is turned downward to overlap the adjacent side of a circular trough 33, supported upon the arm 5 of the frame and provided with a dischargepipe 34.

Upon the shaft 22 are adjustably secured a plurality of stirrers or agitating-blades 35, each of which is preferably of the form shown, having a compound curvature and provided with a cylindrical securing-shank fitting an opening in the shaft 22 and held therein adj ustably by means of a set-screw 36. The blades may thus be adjusted to any desired angle with relation to the shaft 22 to present a greater or less surface of the blade for contact with the material in the tank.

The tank 30 is provided witha cover 37, of wire mesh or other material, preferably comprising two semicircular sections formed with openings to fit around the lower end of the bearing 23 and adapted to be secured together at their meeting edges to provide a circular screen through which the gold-bearing material is supplied to the tank. The larger particles of material, pebbles, &c., that cannot pass through the screen, are deflected over the sides of the tank by the convex upper surface of the screen.

It is desirable to impart an intermittent shaking movement to the screen, and for this purpose a coil-spring 38 is provided below the screen, said spring surrounding the lower end of the bearing 23 and having one of its ends projected radially and secured to one of the screen-sections. The outer end 39 of the spring-arm extends over the edge of the tank in position to be struck by one or more pins 40. The contact of the pin with the springarm moves the screen around a part of a revolution, and when the bent or curved end of the spring is released from the pin by the continued movement of the latter the screen is returned by the spring, thus imparting a shaking motion thereto.

The tank 30 is provided with a dischargeopening 41, adjacent to the lowest portion of the bottom thereof, controlled by a suitable cook (not shown) for the removal of the gold, and, if desired, suitable apertures 4L1 may also be provided in the tank to facilitate its cleanmg.

The utility and operation of the apparatus will be readily understood by those skilled in the art to which the invention relates. Power from any suitable source is applied to the driving-shaft 9, revolving the pin 12 and the bevel-gear 31, meshing therewith. The shaft 25, upon which the gear 31 is fixed, is thus revolved, carrying with it the tank 30. The shaft 16 and its pinion 20 are revolved through the medium of the pulleys 13 and 15 and. the belt 16, and the pinion 20 in turn revolves the shaft 22 in a direction opposite to that of the revolution of the tank through the intermediacy of the bevel-gear 2i. It will thus be seen that the blades 35 and tank 30 are revolved in opposite directions. When the gearing shown in the drawings is employed, the tank and stirrers will be re volved at the same speed; but it will be obvious that by varying the size of the gearing the speed of revolution of either the tank or agitating-blades may beincreased or lessened, or if the exigencies of the work should at any time require it the driving-belts may be so shifted as to revolve either of the shafts 22 or 25 and permit the other to remain stationary. As has been stated above, the revolution of the tank imparts an intermittent shaking movement to the screen to agitate the material falling thereon. The tank is kept filled with water, and the opposite revolution of the stirrers and tank effects the separation of the gold from the material supplied to the tank, the gold, by reason of its greater specific gravity, falling to the bottom of the tank, while the sand and lighter particles are constantly forced over the edge of the tank by the overflow induced by the revolving blades or stirrers.

As the apparatus may be used in localities where there is a scarcity of water, I provide for the recovery of the water overflowing from. the tank by arranging the circular trough 33 just below the edge of the tank, and the overflow water passes from said trough through the pipe 34 to any suitable reservoir or receptacle.

I would have it understood that the invention is not restricted to all of the detail features shown, butincludes all such variations and modifications as may fall within the terms and scope of the following claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a gold-separator, the combination with a supporting-frame, of parallel horizontal shafts supported in bearings of the frame, two vertically-alined shafts supported in bearings of the frame, and geared to said horizontal shafts to be revolved in opposite directions, a tank centrally mounted upon the lower vertical shaft, and a plurality of blades each having a compound curvature and adjustably secured tothe upper vertical shaft so as to project directly therefrom toward the tank-walls at variable angles, substantially as set forth.

2. In a gold-separator, the combination with a supporting-frame, of parallel horizontal shafts revolubly mounted in bearings of the frame, and carrying bevel gear-pinious, two vertically-alined shafts carrying bevelgears meshing with said pinious, a tank supported upon the lower vertical shaft, and stirrer-blades secured to the upper vertical shaft, a stationary trough surrounding the tank in position below the rim thereof to catch the overflow therefrom, and an intermittently-shaking screen covering the top of' the tank, substantially as set forth.

3. In a gold-separator, the combination with a revoluble tank and means for stirring the contents thereof, of a screen-cover for said tank, and means for imparting an intermittent shaking movement to said cover, comprising a spring having a projecting arm, and a projection on the tank.

In testimony whereof I have signed myname in the presence of the subscribing witnesses.

DANIEL C. KNOWLTON. Witnesses:

F. O. MCOLEARY,

J. C. PYBAS. 

